


Halfway Around the World

by Marzipan77



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Episode Tag, Friendship, Gen, Human Nature, Not A Fix-It, Real Consequences, Tag for Shades of Gray
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 04:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20540105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marzipan77/pseuds/Marzipan77
Summary: The fallout of Jack's black-ops mission to catch Maybourne and Makepeace could have looked something like this. How the SGC managed to go forward from this is anyone's guess.





	Halfway Around the World

**Author's Note:**

> I think this tag has been in the works in my brain for years. Watching Shades of Gray again this week sparked my fingers to write this up. Human nature can't be trumped by orders.

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." Charles Spurgeon

"We drew straws." Daniel shrugged, his expression bland. "I lost."

He walked away, down the busy SGC corridor, well behind the dozen or more prisoners being manhandled by surprised and confused SFs. He bit down hard on the words he wanted to say. The truth that should have been obvious to everyone at the SGC from Hammond down to the lowest tech. 

'We've all lost.'

There was a bubble of silence behind him where SG1 used to be. 

The last few minutes had been exciting, infuriating, filled with sudden hope followed by bloody, biting truth. Daniel was dizzy, reeling with the changes. Jack was gone, a traitor. Jack was coming back, a hero. Jack – and Hammond and the Tollan – had lied. Seamlessly, perfectly, without a wink, a nod, or the slightest hint that there might be a hidden hope, a silent plea for patience. That all would be explained.

Talk was spreading, the Gate Room had been crowded with SFs, with engineering personnel. SG7 had been preparing to leave for their follow-up mission to the Siconians and staff from Daniel's department had been going over last minute notes with Dr. Simpson. Yep, Daniel realized, all walks of life from the SGC had been present for Hammond's last grand act, the denouement of this tragedy. 

Daniel hurried on, trying to distance himself from his teammates even if he couldn't outdistance the news. Sam's polished military acceptance wouldn't last. She had no choice – had given up her right to make choices when she'd taken her oaths. But her cover-up for Jack's faux theft on Tollan had stuck in her throat. Now that she realized that her response had been expected, that Jack had played on her loyalty at the expense of her oath, that he'd used the depth of their friendships to make sure this 'mission' succeeded – Daniel huffed out a breath and shoved his hands into his pockets. Soldier Sam was due for a reprisal. Cold and blank-faced and all 'yes, sirs' and 'no, sirs.'

He hoped she and Janet would seek out each other for drinks and talk and the absolute verbal flaying of certain officers. Janet, who had examined Jack to within an inch of his life when all this started. Who had only wanted to help, to find answers that would explain Jack's actions. Sent on a wild goose chase. Worse, Daniel realized. Used, manipulated just like Daniel, as a foil for Jack's attitude so he could spread his act all over the SGC. So he could mouth off to Teal'c in front of witnesses. Convince everyone of his story.

Of them all, Teal'c's warrior practicality might give him an edge, a way to survive this, but the Jaffa's code of honor was strong. It was Jack's matching code – as Teal'c had named it – that had allowed the two to forge such a strong friendship. Their relationship would have to be rebuilt, piece by piece, from a new center. A center of mistrust, of distance.

Daniel detoured to the stairs. The SFs and all their handcuffed charges would be using the elevators, taking the prisoners to holding cells or interrogation rooms. To the infirmary. As Daniel climbed, he sent out a good thought towards Janet and her staff. All of the prisoners would need physicals, checks for Goa'uld, for other hidden sickness or threats. The infirmary staff would have all the lies shoved into their faces at a time when they could do nothing but clench their teeth and get on with their jobs and duties. What a mess.

Jack would be busy for a while. Reporting to Hammond. Hell, doing inventory of whatever the thieves had stolen with both the Asgard and Tollan looking over his shoulder. Daniel flipped open the cover on his watch. He wouldn't have long to wait. Determined to be light-hearted, ignorant of the consequences of these stupid, short-sighted decisions, Jack would come for Daniel. He wouldn't be allowed to go to ground, to fix his mask of 'hurt but understanding' friend and teammate into place. Jack would suggest a night out, dinner, drinks, he'd make jokes and insist that Daniel come at him, get it off his chest. 

As if that would solve anything.

He stumbled over the knee-knocker and into the corridor around the corner from his office. Had he outraced the gossip mill? 

"Doctor Jackson?"

Nope. Three of his research staff were waiting for him. He hadn't thought it would take them long.

Daniel closed the door behind him and gestured, inviting them to join him at his worktable. "Pull up a chair, everyone. I was halfway expecting you."

"I made coffee." Camille Benton lifted the carafe and then poured for everyone. Daniel's dark-skinned counterpoint, Camille had been a young prodigy in languages. She'd joined the SGC three months ago, with a doctorate in linguistics and a specialty in Ancient French. It had come in surprisingly helpful when dealing with the Tollan language. They might speak fluent English when dealing with the SGC, but their syntax and word-meanings when it came to formal documents were complex. 

Finn Khushman settled on a stool next to Daniel. In his sixties, Finn had spent a career in the Diplomatic Corps and had written the book on treaty negotiations. He'd led Daniel through Negotiations 101 during his first year on SG1 and had been a valuable resource ever since. The older man was still fit, tall and broad shouldered, wearing the standard uniform of the SGC like he was born in it.

Across the table, Lieutenant Matthew Stretten was blinking furiously at his half-empty cup of tea. Decaf tea. Daniel had found out about the young airman's interest in translation and ancient languages when SG1 had rescued his team – most of his team, he corrected himself - from a cannibal alien race on a badly scouted planet six months ago. Matt was still recovering, physically and emotionally, and was considering taking a medical discharge. Daniel had hoped to convince him to request a transfer to the base, but, now …

"I suppose I'm the agreed-upon spokesman," Finn began, giving Daniel a chance to gulp down a swallow before speaking. "We're not sure whether to hope you were in on the Colonel's mission and simply lied to us or if you were left out of things. Frankly," Finn scratched at his neatly trimmed beard, "I'm not sure it would make a bit of difference at this point, but I'm hoping you're not that good of a liar, Daniel."

"Oh, I'm not." Daniel returned the man's grim smile. "I can mislead, like any good negotiator or member of a frontline unit, but I reserve those skills for our enemies." He hesitated. "I don't make a habit of deceiving people I want to have a working relationship with. People I need to sustain some level of trust with, even just on a professional basis, let along any kind of camaraderie."

Matt nodded, catching the gazes of each of the others. "I told you."

"That …" Camille shook her head, "I suppose that's better on some level."

Daniel noticed the way her shoulders had lost a measure of tension. He wanted to offer them at least some pinch of relief, a modicum of comfort, but, in the long run, he couldn't stomach it.

"Is it?" He moved the cup across the table. "Look, I don't want to open a can of worms here –"

"You didn't open it." Matt pointed up towards the ceiling. "It was the higher ups. It's always the higher ups."

"Who are actually down below us." Camille pressed a finger into the metal tabletop. "General Hammond ordered this. He and Colonel O'Neill and our so-called alien allies opened 'the can'." She made quotes in the air. "They ordered you – us – to spend weeks working on a series of progressive treaties with Tollana to try to convince them to share some of their technology with us. And it was all a crock. A waste of our time. Worse, it was a joke." She pointed to her chest. "We are jokes to them."

Daniel shook his head. "Not a joke. It was actually an important part of their plan."

"How do you figure?" Matt grunted. "Oh." His shadowed eyes narrowed. "It got you all to Tollana so that Colonel O'Neill could steal their technology."

Finn thumped one fist on his thigh. "And it kept you busy. They used us and this so-called treaty to keep you too busy to notice what must have been a lot of meetings between the Asgard and the Tollan and Colonel O'Neill. I doubt if they came up with this benighted plan quickly."

Something squirmed in Daniel's gut. "That's one likely explanation. If I'd had time to ask, I probably would have found that Sam and Teal'c were equally as busy."

"Major Carter's staff as well."

"Good lord, do they know what they’ve done?" Camille rubbed at her creased brow, dark eyes sparking fury. "More importantly, do they care?"

Daniel motioned, both hands palm down. "Let's not react too quickly. We all know there will be a briefing, and SG1 will be called in. Let me find out the facts."

"What facts could change this, Daniel? How could they possibly spin this into good news?" Finn slid an envelope out of his pocket and held it out to Daniel. "I've had two remarkable careers. I've dealt with terrible situations, real tragedies, the worst of human filth out there on our world and others. I don't have to be reminded that people can be ugly, evil, that hands held out will just as often hold weapons as help. But my own command betraying me?" He shook his head. "I don't want to add that to my list."

Daniel didn't take it. He couldn't. Lips pursed he watched Finn lay the envelope on the table. It was joined a moment later by Matt's. When Daniel lifted his gaze to meet the airman's he saw the lingering pain there.

"How do I know?" Matt whispered. "After this, how can I ever know that Hammond wasn't setting my team up? Lying to us? That our orders to scout that planet weren't a part of some bigger plan. That Doug – Major Hawkins – wasn't flayed and eaten in front of us because Hammond was playing us. Or using us to play someone else?"

"He wouldn't –" Daniel bit back the words at Matt's snort of disbelief.

Camille said it. "He did." She straightened in her chair. "I don't have an envelope for you right now, Daniel. But only because I don't have another position lined up and I can't afford to be without a paycheck. I hope you'll share that attitude when they do decide to brief you. Ask them, Daniel, if they'd like to lose two-thirds of the staff, knowing that the one-third staying isn't staying because of duty or passion but because they need the money."

Daniel didn't have an argument. For any of them. 

Two hours later, Jack appeared. Back in BDUs, he swung around the doorframe of Daniel's office, big as life. Bigger. A half-smile swept across Daniel's face. There was something about Jack that could fill up any room he entered. When he wanted to. Daniel studied the other man. Jack could play the clown or the military hardass with equal success. He could slide, chameleon-like, into the background, or, with a little effort, make sure every eye in the room was focused on him. Daniel had seen him do both when necessary. To protect his team or to protect innocents. To let Sam or Daniel do their jobs. To win allies or let enemies talk themselves into betrayal. The difference, this time, was that Daniel and Sam and Teal'c, the staff of the SGC, hadn't been treated like trusted teammates, or even like valuable resources – they'd been on the outside, targeted by Jack's charisma. His friendship. His skills.

"Please tell me that someone stole that black beanie and burnt it," Daniel said, folding his hands on his desk.

"Hey, I rock that look," Jack replied, eyes glinting with mischief. With relief.

"And whoever told you that lie should be punished." Daniel stood, grabbing a legal pad and pen. "Time for debrief?"

"Uh, yeah." Jack frowned. "You're ready? I mean, you," he pointed back out into the hallway, "you were expecting me?"

"You or a call from the general. Are we picking up Sam and Teal'c?" Daniel moved past Jack into the corridor.

Jack caught up with a half-skip and then shoved his hands into his pockets. "Hammond is calling them."

"Right." Daniel adjusted his glasses. Jack had been sent – either by the general or his own conscience – to make sure the civilian wasn't going to make a scene.

More than once, Jack tried to start a conversation. Fortunately, the SGC was a crowded, gossipy maze of intersecting concrete hallways where every soldier and civilian wanted a look at the hero/villain. Even on the elevator ride they weren't alone. Daniel propped one shoulder against the wall and listened as Jack fielded congratulations as well as suspicious, controlled nods. 'Knew it all along, sir' and 'Nobody believed it, sir' were joined by flat, cold 'Colonels' and barely hidden glares. 

If Jack's responses grew tense and strained as the elevator descended, it wasn't lost on Daniel.

Sam and Teal'c were already seated when they arrived, solidly on one side of the conference table. Okay, Daniel could handle that. Sitting beside Jack meant that he wouldn't have to look into the man's eyes. Hammond's office door was open, the general standing behind his desk while Narim and Travell, the woman who had overseen Skaara's Triad, spoke in ringing tones.

"The happy resolution of this situation speaks volumes, General," Travell stated. "You have earned back the trust of both the Tollan and the Asgard."

Hammond's cheeks were pink at the praise. Daniel tore his gaze away and looked down at his tablet, restless fingers stabbing wedge-shaped notes in cuneiform through three levels of paper. Even with Narim's obsession with Earth, he doubted the Tollan had taught himself that particular dead language. Daniel snorted to himself. Especially since it wouldn't get him any closer to Sam.

He rose respectfully when the general and the others took their places at the table. As he sat, he studied Hammond. Hammond had earned Daniel's respect, the respect of the SGC, the free Jaffa, the civilians and soldiers under his command, and ranking politicians even up to and including the president. He'd earned a reputation for being a man of vision, not just serving the immediate needs of the moment, but long-range planning. Daniel gave himself a small measure of praise for being one of the people who'd helped George Hammond expand his thinking, to see the bigger picture beyond military gains and the hunt for bigger and more powerful weapons. He'd hoped he'd shown both Jack and Hammond that history and culture, that human nature, was also a powerful force for change.

He wasn't sure if they'd learned that lesson too well or not well enough. This meeting would tell.

"Before we get down to this briefing, SG1," Hammond pursed his lips, as if challenging Daniel and his teammates, "I will begin by saying that I won't apologize for Colonel O'Neill's mission. The consequences of its failure would have been devastating to Earth and this command. I do understand, however, that it's – understandably - strained some friendships. However, we cannot allow that to disrupt our mission, here. Hopefully we're all big enough men and women to let this pass and get on with our work."

The bark of laughter that erupted from Daniel's throat took him by surprise. He dropped his gaze, his cheeks burning. 

"Doctor Jackson? Do you have something to say?"

Commissioner Travell met Daniel's gaze from the end of the table. Beside her, Narim looked back and forth between Hammond, Daniel, and his colleague, in obvious confusion.

"You have no idea what you've done, do you?" Daniel didn't hold back the crushing sarcasm. "None whatsoever."

Beside him, Jack leaned forward. "Hey, Daniel, back off. I know I hurt you –"

Hammond's tone was cutting. "Doctor –" 

"General," Daniel interrupted. "Jack. Whatever platitudes or orders you're about to parrot, please, just … don't." Hands lifted, he pushed them away as if he could distance himself from this confrontation. From this necessity. "Don't pretend this is about friendship or too much sensitivity on my part. Please. I didn't come here to cry about Jack's impressive skills in deceit, using all of his personal knowledge of what makes each of us tick against us. That's something I'll take up with Jack personally. I wouldn't waste your time."

"What is your point, Doctor?"

Apparently, Daniel's explanation made the general even angrier. Fine. Daniel took the two letters from his pocket and laid them on the table.

"So far, after only two hours, two of my staff have given me their resignations. Request for transfers. I haven't had the nerve to check my email yet, but I expect at least a dozen more. Some will be civilian, but, before you start to posture about the military understanding about these kinds of ops, please be aware that half of them will be military. They will, as a courtesy, give me their heads-up before putting in the paperwork with their commanding officers." 

When Daniel took a breath to continue, Sam's movement across the table diverted his attention.

"I have six." The flat envelopes joined Daniel's. "The engineering staff, mostly enlisted, requesting transfers out. Although there are some civilian senior physicists who we will not be able to replace." Her cold blue stare was pointed unerringly at the general. "I've forwarded their emails to your inbox. Sir."

Ouch. Daniel nodded. Just as he thought. Soldier Sam was back.

"I don't appreciate your tone. Major."

"To quote your words, General Hammond," Sam answered, her tone cool and level, "I won't apologize for the consequences of this mission. I didn't cause them." She folded her hands with careful deliberation on the table. "I am simply bringing them to the attention of my senior officers."

Beside Daniel, Jack had gone silent and still.

"But – " Narim, startled, leaned forward. "General. Colonel. Your people are resigning? Why? I'd have thought they'd be pleased – happy at the victory over these, these criminals."

Teal'c turned with the weight and solemnity of an ancient statue. "Then your thoughts were foolish ones."

"Et tu, Teal'c?" Jack murmured.

The heightened senses of the Jaffa didn't let Teal'c miss the comment. "I have no staff to resign, but, in the past two hours, I accompanied these … criminals … to the infirmary to assist Doctor Frasier in any way I could. I overheard many discussions there. And witnessed the anger and resentment of the doctor's staff."

Hammond's face had lost its sheen of pride. His jaw was clenched, eyes narrowed as he stared down each member of SG1, finding attitudes he hadn't anticipated. Resentment. Cold fury. Disdain. Daniel hoped that Hammond had come to respect each of them over the years – at least a little. Surely he didn't believe Sam and Teal'c would be overly emotional, even if he didn't have the same confidence in Daniel.

"General, you've done your duty to the Tollan and the Asgard. All of this," Travell waved a hand through the air as if she could dismiss any resulting difficulties, "is surely nonsense in comparison."

If the Tollan woman could – in any way – sense what the members of SG1 were thinking, she would not have been able to keep up her placid, arrogant, overconfident attitude.

"General Hammond." Daniel found himself breaking the verbal stand-off. "Will you allow Teal'c to repeat one such discussion he overheard?" He met his teammate's eye and received one of Teal'c's regal nods in response. "It might clear things up for our … supposed allies."

Hammond seemed to wrench control of himself from his deep well of experience. "Very well. Teal'c?"

"When Doctor Frasier ordered blood to be drawn and tests to be performed on a woman O'Neill had apprehended, the technician waited until the doctor had moved on and then remarked to a colleague – I quote him - 'Are these real tests this time, do you think? Fake tests? Fake patients?'" Teal'c's low-toned repetition of the tech's complaints, atonal and dissonant, made them worse, somehow. 

"I do not know if I have repeated the exact words, but the tone was derisive, angry. His colleague then used the restraint straps on the woman and drew on yet another pair of gloves over the ones he was already wearing." Teal'c tilted his head. "He then said, 'I'm not taking any freaking chances. If we can't even trust Hammond to tell us the truth about possible medical issues, how can we trust anything?' The other responded, 'We're never going to know what kind of proverbial land mines we're stepping on. Be careful.'"

Teal'c peered from beneath half-lowered eyelids. "I am not familiar with these 'proverbial land mines,' but they sound like weapons. Weapons that are sure to destroy not only bodies but the spirits of those we claim to value."

Okay. Daniel took a deep breath. Teal'c might claim to misunderstand human language and intent, but he got that one pretty dead on. Daniel eyed Hammond's sudden jerk backwards. The medical staff's bitter words coming from Teal'c's mouth seemed to return fire with accuracy.

Travell scoffed, loud and haughty. "Your minions will forget their foolish spite in good time, General. You have only to show them the continued honor and good will of the Tollan and Asgard to convince them you did no wrong."

"We don't have 'minions,'" Sam spat. "We have colleagues. Teammates. Highly prized and highly trained resources and technicians." She eyed Narim with unconcealed disgust. "I thought you understood at least a little bit about us."

"I – I thought I did, too," he answered.

"Let me try, Sam." Daniel ignored Travell and directed his words straight to Narim. "You've read some of our Earth literature. Researched. You've studied some of our philosophy and religion."

"I have." Narim seemed eager for some point of agreement. "Ever since Sam spoke of Schrodinger, I've been curious."

"Okay. Have you come across someone named Friederich Nietzsche?"

Jack groaned. Hammond snarled. "Doctor Jackson, I don't see how this descent into endless philosophical debate could possibly help us come to terms with these very practical issues."

"'Endless philosophical debate?'" Daniel was done being nice. "Human nature is human nature, General. No matter how much you'd like to pretend that rank and orders and your own short-sightedness have precedent. Now, I'd like to explain, in one quotation, just what the Tollan and Asgard and you," he pointed to the men at the end of the table, "have done to this command. If you think you can spare the time from congratulating yourselves on your great success."

Silence dropped on the briefing room like a wet, musty blanket. Daniel didn't hesitate to fill in the gap. "Narim, this man, Nietzsche, made a statement that I hope, I pray, will give you and your… Councilor Travell some insight into the damage you've done. He said, and I quote, 'I'm not upset that you lied to me. I'm upset that, from now on, I can't believe you.' That's what these resignations are about, what the conversations in the infirmary mean. From now on, no one, no civilian, no scientist, no tech, no SF, no SG team member below the rank of base commander can believe one word General Hammond or Jack O'Neill say. No order. No information. No off-hand remark. With no exception. You may have your important 'stuff' back, but you've hopelessly crippled this command." He threw himself back in his chair. "I hope it's worth it."

"Exactly," Sam agreed. For the first time, she stared across the table at Jack. "From now on, no matter how much I've trusted you in the past, or how often you've proven yourself as a great commander, I'm always going to wonder. At every briefing, I'm going to second-guess any information you or General Hammond share. 'Is this another sting?' 'Is he lying?' 'Is one of our allies pulling his strings?'" Her lips were thin and white. "My oaths can only take me so far, sir. I'm still human underneath."

Hammond blanched, the authoritarian commander disappearing behind the grandfather, the trusted uncle. He touched Sam's sleeve. "Sam. I can assure you, this will never happen again. You can –"

"Is that a lie, sir? Or the truth? How am I supposed to know?" Sam's eyebrows quirked. "You sure fooled us all the first time, if it was the first time."

"Indeed," Teal'c added.

"And before you start talking about 'need to know,' and levels of classified far above our lowly statures," Daniel said, "this wasn't you saying, 'It's classified,' General. This was you deliberately setting us up to believe a lie."

"Oh, just like we keep telling all those people out there," Jack was bristling with anger, one arm flung out towards the surface, "that we're a bunch of deep space telemetry weenies? The stories we've all spun out to cover up the Stargate's existence? I think you've all been in on those lies, Daniel, Sam, so don't parade out your pure as the driven snow attitudes to me."

Daniel locked eyes with his friend, his team leader. "And when 'those people' find out the truth we've been hiding, those people who aren't our closest friends and colleagues, soldiers and civilians we've asked to stand on the front lines with us, facing Goa'uld weapons, just how do you think they are going to react? Do you think they'll thank us, Jack? 'Please sir, may I have another?'" He slammed his fist down on the table, his anger finally taking over. "God, Jack. They'll be out for blood and I've told you that over and over again. That we'd do better to tell the truth. To ask for help from the other world powers. To trust people."

"Broken trust is not easily healed," Teal'c stated.

"It's not ever healed completely," Sam added. "Not without the cracks showing up again, especially under stress."

"And stress is kinda what we're about here. Every day. Every hour. Frankly, General," Daniel adjusted his glasses, giving himself a moment to rein in his utter disgust at this FUBAR situation, "you'd do well to completely rotate out the men and women serving here and get in a new batch."

The high-pitched whine of Asgard transport beams suffocated whatever Hammond or Jack were about to say.

Thor appeared next to Daniel, chair and all. His uneven black eyes blinked at Daniel, fathomless before they turned to Teal'c and then Sam. 

"It seems you were right, O'Neill."

Three gazes settled on Jack. All the fight had drained out of the man, but his dark eyes were sparking dangerously. "I told you. I told you," he pointed at Thor, then the Tollan, "and you," and finally Hammond, "and I told you. Warned you about the consequences of this fiasco."

"You did," Thor answered, head bowed and eyes closed. "I regret that I allowed myself to be swayed into these proceedings."

"Commander Thor, you cannot mean that you believe this great victory was claimed in error?" Travell was fuming, ugly in her obvious contempt for Thor's words and Jack's attitude.

"If you're trying to say that you were wrong," Jack quipped, nasty and dark, "then, yeah, that's what he's saying."

Thor regarded them all. "We did not give you a chance to form another plan. We did not allow you to call in your colleagues on SG1 to discuss consequences. We ordered your compliance with this operation threatening the removal of all ties to Asgard, Nox, and Tollana." Thor nodded once. "Because of what we claimed was our broken trust. And then we ordered you to break trust with your own."

"Well," Daniel sighed, "you can't get much more hypocritical than that."

"No, we cannot," Thor agreed. "Nor do we believe that knowledge of our failure, of O'Neill's resistance, can instantly heal this rift."

"Ah, no. It’s not quite that easy." Daniel glanced back at Jack. "It would be nice if human beings were built that way, but we're not. We're a little more complex."

Teal'c growled agreement. "There will always be doubt. Even now, my heart believes O'Neill attempted to change this outcome. But there is a small space for doubt, a core of suspicions that this is yet another layer of deceit." Teal'c raised one eyebrow. "O'Neill knows us well, as was evidenced by his words and actions. He would know that we would seek to remove him from blame if the choice was offered to us."

Jack rubbed at his face with both hands. "Argh. Now is the time to dance around the room and shout that I told you so." He raised dry eyes. "As if that would help."

"How may we being to make reparations for this?" Thor held out his long-fingered hands. "I have no device that will take us back in time. Or heal trust. No pendant that O'Neill could wear to assure he speaks only the truth."

"Yeah, not gonna work. Nor," Jack was quick to add, "am I about to wear something like that. Truth serum times a million." He shuddered. "Talk about ending friendships."

"Hey." Daniel nudged Jack's elbow. "It's not our friendship that's ending. We're fine on that level. Well, maybe not fine, but we've all made mistakes."

Grey eyebrows tangled on Jack's crumpled forehead. "Huh? After all the things I said? Said to each one of you?"

"My staff hasn't resigned because you were a bad friend, Colonel." Sam's smile could cut glass. "They've resigned because they won't work in a command where they can't trust their senior officers."

Jack sought out his fellow warrior. "T?"

The Jaffa looked away, but Daniel caught the slight gleam in his eye. "I will require your presence on the training mats, O'Neill. In order to satisfy honor."

"Oh. Well, great." Jack seemed to think a second. "Or, you know, not."

"It is a relief to know that you have not severed ties to your friends and family, O'Neill." Thor straightened. "But the SGC has been harmed. Perhaps fatally."

"I do not understand all this pointless –"

With one touch on the glowing button on the end of his chair's arm, Thor beamed Travell and Narim away. "I believe we can finish this discussion more easily without the Tollans. I will attempt to explain our error to them – and to the Nox – later."

Hammond did not look convinced. Hands flat on the table, he regarded them, eyes like flint. "I tend to agree with Councilor Travell in believing this is a ridiculous reaction to what we considered a necessary evil."

"General, do you really want to bet your life on that?" 

Hammond glared at Jack.

Jack held up one finger. "One second of hesitation. Just one, between an order to fire and the action of any airman or Marine on this base. One second of doubt. That's all it would take. Do you really think that between the resignations and what Teal'c overheard in the infirmary, that there aren't people on this base that would not know whether to follow my order or wait to see if I was only kidding?"

Hammond bowed his head over folded hands, asking for a moment, just a moment, without saying a word. They waited.

"I had no idea that –" Another head shake. "This was more than shortsighted. And I, for one, cannot believe it's taken me this long to figure that out." Hammond rubbed one hand over his bald head. "Daniel, Sam, Teal'c," he lifted his hands, "am I going to lose two-thirds of this command? Am I going to lose you, SG1?"

Damn it, why did Daniel have the urge to say something to make Hammond feel better. "I don't know, General." It was the best he could do.

_Six weeks later._

"Hey."

Daniel squinted up into the bright sun. "Hey. It's, a, it's good to see you." He stood and wiped grass and dirt from his knees. He let his hand linger on the stone he'd had carved with hieroglyphs. It wasn't where Sha're's body was laid, but it helped Daniel to have a place on Earth where he could speak to her, remember her the way she was before Apophis. Before he'd reopened the 'gate. 

Jack fell in at his side as he walked away. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

"You didn't." Daniel made an effort to unhunch his shoulders. "I find that if I stay too long …"

Jack paused, waiting to see if Daniel would finish. "Yeah," he finally replied. "I know."

"How was Washington?" Jack had left the base the morning after his 'operation' had ended. He'd shepherded the prisoners to Washington to report to the powers that be. The distance had been good for all of them. For the base. For SG1.

Jack raised eyes hidden behind his shades to stare into the distance. "I usually feel like I need a decontamination shower when I get back from that place. This time I think I could have used one before I left the mountain."

"Brain shower," Daniel noted with a short laugh. "Sam still insists that she can't invent one, no matter how many times I ask."

"And people wonder why I don't trust scientists."

The word seemed to stand up on the grass between them, flashing warning signs. 

Daniel turned to face his friend. "Did you need something?"

Jack held up one hand. "Just. You've been great, actually. You and Carter and T. Sending updates. Listening to my rants about politics and politicians and … politicking –" he cut himself off. 

"We told you – friendships like ours, they're going to survive. I almost shot you in a dark supply room once, remember that? Teal'c –" Daniel glanced back at Sha're's memorial, "Teal'c kidnapped my wife into slavery. And we spent more than a few days running around a forest after Sam's fiancé when she didn't shoot him when she had the chance." He crossed his arms over his chest. "It was hard to hear what you said to me in your house. And, looking back, it was even harder knowing that you'd said those things to me – and to Sam and Teal'c – deliberately to hurt us. But we have and will get over it."

Jack slid his sunglasses down his nose, meeting Daniel's honest gaze. "And the command? My command? Are the people at the SGC going to get over feeling like putzes? Being used as tools by me and Hammond?"

Daniel's lips quirked. "Not all of them, no. Some have already left. Some are waiting for another job offer to come along."

"Well, that's just fantastic." He tucked his sunglasses into his shirt and put his hands in his pockets.

"But the majority are biding their time. Hammond's personal meetings with each person threatening resignation have been helpful. Thor's announcement about how you were forced into the operation did a lot."

"I don't think any of that has had the biggest impact, Daniel."

Neither did he. "No, probably not."

Jack nodded. "It's been you three. Staying on the job. Business as usual. Keeping in touch, with me and Hammond, playing up the team spirit thing whenever anyone is around to hear." He tapped his ear. "People talk."

"Here's another revelation, Jack." A burning sensation started behind Daniel's breastbone. Fierce. Unyielding. "We aren't playing. The three of us. We really do believe in the team, in our team, in the four of us working together. When we four are in synch, when we're using all of our talents and skills, when we're each listened to and respected for our contributions – nothing can stop us. We may have more questions than usual about Hammond's orders - during briefings or among ourselves – it's going to take some time to rebuild that trust. But if we wouldn't let Kinsey or Hathor or Apophis take us down, we're certainly not going to let the Tollan and Asgard do it."

"Okay." Jack was still tense; shadows lingered behind his eyes. "One thing. I spent the past week reviewing the interrogation tapes with Davis and organizing the search for Maybourne and his cronies. They didn't let me do the actual interrogations, but I was in the guy's ear, making suggestions."

"That must have been great fun for the interrogator." Daniel smirked.

"Anyway, that slimeball Makepeace said something. It's just a little thing, and I get that you were mad and hurt and I said stuff way worse, but, it irks, you know?"

Frowning, Daniel thought back to the little interaction he'd had with Makepeace. One short conversation in the hallway, one briefing, one off-world mission where the man had given few orders and let them get on with their jobs. "I'm sorry, I don't –"

"You said you didn't trust my command?"

Oh. Jack was worried about _that_? Huh, it seemed Daniel was still learning how to be a friend to Jack O'Neill. "Sorry, that must have sounded terrible, especially coming from Makepeace."

"Well, yeah," Jack jerked his chin and the two continued walking. "I don't know how it could sound anything but terrible."

"Jack," Daniel sighed.

"Daniel?" Jack's tone invited explanation.

"First of all, what's a 'command,' anyway?" Daniel held out his hand. "Can you hand it to me? Bring it along on our next barbecue? Leave it in my office for a few hours so I can study it?" He glanced sideways. "I told Makepeace that I had never trusted your command because I have no idea what that means."

"Come on –"

"No, really. I had a good friend in Chicago who was a family therapist. He used to tell us about his clients who thought he was something called a Marriage Counselor."

"So, and, therefore?" Jack's expression clouded, impatience lengthening his stride.

Daniel tugged on his sleeve. "Hey, just listen. My friend said, 'bring your marriage to the next appointment and I'll be glad to counsel it.' There's no such thing, Jack. A marriage – a command – is about oaths, about relationships, partnership, teamwork. What he was counseling, what I put my trust in, Jack, isn't a thing, it's a person. People. It's you. You and Sam and Teal'c." 

Jack's expression cleared. "So, if Makepeace –"

"If Makepeace had said, 'I hope you'll come to trust in me like you did in Jack O'Neill,' I would have said, 'fat chance.'"

Lips curling up, Jack rocked back on his heels. "Yeah? 'Fat chance'?"

Daniel considered. "It might have had more expletives attached, but you get the gist."

"I think I do."

Their cars were only a few steps away when Jack spoke again. "Dinner? Carter's bringing wine." He waggled his eyebrows at Daniel. "Steaks on the grill? Teamyness?"

Daniel slid into the driver's seat of his car. "Just don't offer me a beer."

"No beer, no deep conversation, cross my heart." He gestured across his chest.

"Sounds like a plan."

Jack held up his hands. "No plan. Absolutely no plan."

Daniel's car started with a low purr. "Good. I'll have Sam bring the equipment to check for surveillance equipment, just to be sure." 

He left Jack standing beside the cropped green grass, arms lifted, mouth open in denial.

"Welcome home," Daniel chuckled at his friend's antics in the rearview mirror.


End file.
